Brewmasters (your dream series)

Beer Trader

I watched this abortion of a show once, worst thing to ever be on TV. The fact that a television station decided to air it makes me fear for humanity. This asshole goes to bars, gets blistered drunk, then makes a cringeworthy ass of himself on camera and fails to be remotely humorous in the process, which is difficult when you get blistered drunk all the time. Don't waste your time on this show, it would be more productive and entertaining to stick safety pins through your eyelids.

I watched this abortion of a show once, worst thing to ever be on TV. The fact that a television station decided to air it makes me fear for humanity. This asshole goes to bars, gets blistered drunk, then makes a cringeworthy ass of himself on camera and fails to be remotely humorous in the process, which is difficult when you get blistered drunk all the time. Don't waste your time on this show, it would be more productive and entertaining to stick safety pins through your eyelids.

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I watch every episode. Outside of me wishing they would stick to beer and breweries I enjoy the show. If you went in thinking you were going to be watching a serious documentary style show I can see where you'd be put off, but I've been watching him since the show was called Three Sheets.

Beer Trader

I watch every episode. Outside of me wishing they would stick to beer and breweries I enjoy the show. If you went in thinking you were going to be watching a serious documentary style show I can see where you'd be put off, but I've been watching him since the show was called Three Sheets.

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I think you're right. I hoped it would be more about the places he goes and the stories behind the bars and their drinks, not just a guy getting drunk. It is what it is, I suppose.

I liked Brewmasters and I thought Dogfish Head was a great brewery to choose because of the amount of crazy beers they make. Not many breweries do things like Dogfish Head, which is why I thought they were the best idea for TV.
And screw Discovery channel, put it on Travel Channel.

Personally for my tastes you could make a show that would start in the infancy of a Brewery. I really liked Ace of Cakes which after the success of the show they got huge and so did the cakes. If you followed around a brewery that is just starting up you get more of that "drama" without it being manufactured. Perhaps you follow three start-ups and how each one progresses or fails.

It's probably best that they chose Calagione and Dogfish Head because of the traveling to different places to source ingredients and recipes and his great on-air persona. Think of a show that just went to different breweries, and you have owners and brewers who are not comfortable on camera saying, "Uh yeah...this is the grain and hops we use...here's the mash...you can see the wort is boiling now...yeast is important...grain to glass in about a week...people love beer..." You and me might take a serious interest, but it's going to turn off a lot of people to the show (even more than a person as entertaining as Sam Calagione did).

Sure, there are some other great personas in brewing, but when it comes down to it, I don't think the show would last that long skipping from brewery to brewery.

I watch every episode. Outside of me wishing they would stick to beer and breweries I enjoy the show. If you went in thinking you were going to be watching a serious documentary style show I can see where you'd be put off, but I've been watching him since the show was called Three Sheets.

I was under the impression that DFH had control of the show, if they were to continue further, but regardless it would be great to see SN due to how large of a scale they operate on, while still maintaining excellent craft beers. I.could even get on board with Sam Adams for the same reason, Jim Koch seems very passionate and likable. I think either of those breweries could have solid viewership due to their brand popularity.

That said, I would also have loved to see stone doing some of their many collabos, lagunitas, founders, and surly would definitely be cool.

Beer Trader

I might be alone here, but I though the show was excellent, it was as much a comedy to me as it was interesting to see the daily processes and history of DFH. The premise was kind of on repeat for each episode, but it didnt stop me from enjoying every minute and being bummed out when I finished the 6th and final episode. Sam is just funny as F*** as far as I'm concerned. I especially enjoyed the Bitches Brew episode.

Beer Trader

I might be alone here, but I though the show was excellent, it was as much a comedy to me as it was interesting to see the daily processes and history of DFH. The premise was kind of on repeat for each episode, but it didnt stop me from enjoying every minute and being bummed out when I finished the 6th and final episode. Sam is just funny as F*** as far as I'm concerned. I especially enjoyed the Bitches Brew episode.

Overall, I liked the show & I gained a new respect for DFH given my initial disappointment of it focusing on 1 craft brewer. If that is the format then I think every season should be a different brewer...however, being that there is seriously sick competition in this business & I'm sure plenty of trade secrets to be kept perhaps a broader overview of the movement as a whole. Maybe focusing on a region of the US & several brewers in the region. It would be interesting to see a competition type show, hell how many more cooking & baking competitions can we possibly pass over...I mean seriously, cup cake wars??

The problem is cost. It is expensive flying around to all these breweries and shooting a show, and with such a small niche audience I just don't see anyone doing it on a large scale. There are a few decent web shows out there...and I think that is the best we are going to get.

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Perhaps I'm on the outside but, Moonshiners, Duck Dynasty, Swamp People...ahem Toddlers & Tiaras how are these NOT niche?? Toddlers seriously, how do you put that on as a programmer of content for the public to see? And as for flying around there are plenty of people flying around for food shows, I just don't see the difference. At least the web shows aren't hampered by content and language restrictions.

Beer Trader

All of the breweries. Do a few different ones through out the season. Hit places like Cigar City then Kuhnhenn, Then Hair of the Dog and maybe hit Anchorage after that. Travel the entire country and show us a little of everyone. Each successful brewery out there has a nitch and that is what keeps people coming back for more. Show us, the people who love this stuff what it is all about and how they're making it possible. Hell, you might even find out about a new brewery along the way. I thought the show was really good as well and I even said while it was on that they should be doing more than just DfH on this show. I'd love to see it come back and have it be almost worldwide instead of just in Delaware.

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I agree 100%

This is what I had wished the show would have been. Make it like the food paradise shows on travel channel or diners, drive-ins, and dives, except have hour long episodes and one brewery per episode. It could be ran year round and they still wouldnt have to worry about running out of tape.

Perhaps I'm on the outside but, Moonshiners, Duck Dynasty, Swamp People...ahem Toddlers & Tiaras how are these NOT niche?? Toddlers seriously, how do you put that on as a programmer of content for the public to see? And as for flying around there are plenty of people flying around for food shows, I just don't see the difference. At least the web shows aren't hampered by content and language restrictions.

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All good points, I've never watched any of those shows so I can't tell you why those shows have a following, I'm just saying that craft beer drinkers are what 6% of the beer drinking population, and of that 6% how many would want to watch a craft centric documentary style show? I mean of course we would, but we are in the vast minority even in our own niche.

LocalBrew TV has a few YouTube episodes about Maine breweries. Only two in, but they started with Baxter Brewing, then went to Maine Beer Co. Spends about 75% of his time in the breweries, then hits local bars to ask people their thoughts on the brewery he just visited.

And you know what I am about to say. The fact that Sam/Dogfish Head is the only brewer I know of in America teaming up with the Italian brewers says a lot. ( The lost episode of Brewmasters, 3 Beers for Batali examines Italian craft) Yes, I know you may call this hype on my end, but am I really that crazy to say it? Italian craft is here to say and Sam is helping that become so!

All good points, I've never watched any of those shows so I can't tell you why those shows have a following, I'm just saying that craft beer drinkers are what 6% of the beer drinking population, and of that 6% how many would want to watch a craft centric documentary style show? I mean of course we would, but we are in the vast minority even in our own niche.

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I completely agree. I find it interesting that you are yet another person who doesn't watch any of the compelling reality TV shows spat out for mass consumption. I'm guessing the masses are clogging up hospital beds unable to change the channels in their rooms left on by the staff...

I liked the idea of the show a lot but I wasn't impressed with the format. It was so over the top reality show. Each episode had some dramatic story that had to be resolved in 60 minutes with the longer story arch of building the new brewery. Brewing is just not the kind of thing that needs or contributes well to that kind of dramatic interpretation. They could have easily have made each show about some interesting aspect of what the brewery does/new stuff they are working on and intermingled lighter material to keep it upbeat and more than just watching people dump dry hops in a fermentor for an hour. Alternatively they could have focused on a product/project and discussed an issue in the craft market per episode. It was never going to be a show with big ratings numbers but I think they could have taken that show out a few seasons in a profitable manner if they hadn't made it so douchey.

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Sadly most TV especially in the reality age is douchey...w/one network after another putting out inferior versions of an already successful show...YAWWWWWWWWN...but then again that's always been Madison avenue no matter what the product is be it TV, music, movies, food, & of course beer, no finger pointing needed we all have a few that come to mind opinions may differ but the song remains the same, corporations make most things LAME...

I missed this thread, and just posted in another thread about two minutes ago how how the show prevented me from wanting to go to the Alehouse one mile away for a few months, because I found the timelines, deadlines, and fake pressure drama insulting.

Funny how thoughts run sometimes.

I would have welcomed a real show, based on making beer and making real marketing decisions. It would have been more old school history channel, though, and less storage transportation motorcycle making wars.

Beer Trader

I tend to agree. Why does a beer show only have to cater to a beer audience? Deadliest Catch doesn't cater to fishermen? Make it entertaining and worth watching, then everyone will want to watch it.

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I agree, plus the popularity and interest of craft beer is growing rapidly. I think that a show that has more of a variety of brewers with different brewing styles and personalty could be very entertaining to a wide audience.